Thursday, April 17, 2014

"Today is Hung upon the Tree" in Syriac

The Syriac text below, is taken from Sinai Syriac 77, ff. 54v-55r. This manuscript was copied at Sinai by Shem'on bar Ma'la bar Abu Fadl from the town of Maaloula, who finished it on July 5, 1237.

ܝܘܡܢܐ ܐܬܬܠܝ ܒܩܝܣܐ ܕܨܠܝܒܐ ܗܘ̇ ܕܬܠܹܐ ܠܐܪܥܐ
ܥܠ ܡ̈ܝܐ.

ܟܠܝܠܐ ܚܣܕܐ ܕܡ̣ܢ ܟܘܒ̈ܐ ܐܬܬܣܝ̣ܡ ܗܘܐ ܒܪܝܫܗ̣ ܕܗܘ̇
ܡ̇ܠܟܐ ܓܢܝܙܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܐܟܐ.

ܘܢܚ̈ܬܐ ܕܐܪ̈ܓܘܢܐ ܒܒܙܚܐ ܐܬܥܛܦ ܗܘܐ ܗܘ̇ ܡ̇ܪܐ ܕܡܟ̇ܣܐ
ܫܡܝܐ ܒܥ̈ܢܢܐ.

ܫܘܩܦ ܦܟܐ ܘܪܘܩܐ ܩ̇ܒ̣ܠ ܗܘ̇ ܕܒܝܘܪܕܢܢ ܢܗܪܐ
ܚܪܪ ܠܐܕܡ ܡ̣ܢ ܥܒܕܘܬܐ.

ܩܘܒܥ ܨܨ̈ܐ ܣܝܒܪ ܗܘ̇ ܪܥܝܐ ܡܪܐ ܕܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ.

ܘܐܦ ܕܩܝܪܘܬ ܪܘܡܚܐ ܐܡܪܐ ܕܚ̈ܝܐ ܒܪܗ̇ ܕܒܬܘܠܬܐ.

ܣ̈ܓܕܝܢܢ ܠܚ̈ܫܝܟ ܕܚܠܦܝܢ ܡܫܝܚܐ.

ܚ̇ܘܢ ܒܪ̈ܚܡܝܟ ܠܩܝܡܬܟ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܘܡܫܒܚܬܐ.

As is common with many Syriac versions of Greek hymns the translation is not entirely literal in order to fit the Greek meter. The Syriac reads:Today is hung on the wood of the cross He who hanged the earth on the water.

A shameful crown of thorns was placed upon the head of the invisible King of angels.ܑHe was mockingly wrapped in robes of purple, the Lord who hides the heavens with clouds.

He received a blow on the cheek and spit, He who in the River Jordan freed Adam from slavery.

He endured the driving of nails, the Shepherd, Lord of Praise.Also the spear's stab, the Lamb of Life, Son of the Virgin.